Heritage Park to Host Guided Tours of Cathedral Square

IN a series of walk and talk tours, Heritage Perth will focus its attention on newly redeveloped Cathedral Square later this month.

The precinct houses St George’s Cathedral, Perth Town Hall, City of Perth Library and the State Treasury buildings, which received a commendation at the 2016 WA Heritage Awards.

Heritage Perth executive director Richard Offen said the guided tour would focus on a “beautifully transformed” area of Perth.

“It has a history that goes back a very long way,” Mr Offen said.

“We’ll look at history because the whole area was originally the barracks of 63rd Regiment.

“St George’s opened in 1888 and where the fabulous new city library is used to be the first St Georges Church in 1880s (the original church was built 1884), and next to that was Burt Memorial Hall which is probably one of largest war memorials in Australia, definitely in WA.”

Mr Offen said the back of the Treasury building used to be a police lock-up.

“A delightful way of commemorating the lock-up is the names of people engraved on the stone with what they were charged with,” he said.

Unusual charges were recorded from 1874 and 1875, including “Sly grog selling – exchanged nobblers for readies”, “throwing stone in public – he shot at the pigeon but did not kill the crow”, and “tree shepherd, feloniously stole onions”.

“(The State Buildings) are a shining example of what should be done to a historic building to keep it useful and keep it loved,” Mr Offen said.

Bookings for the free tours open next Monday .

They include two 50-minute walks with space for 25 people in each session at midday and 1.30pm on Tuesday April 26.